Daughter card service position

ABSTRACT

An information handling system includes a chassis having a guide slot and a printed circuit board placed in guide slot of the chassis. The guide slot includes at least two opposing channels aligned adjacent the printed circuit board with a guide tab formed in one of the opposing channels. A daughter card electrically couples to the printed circuit board when placed in an attached position. The daughter card includes a first edge and a second edge that slides between the opposing channels of the guide slot such that the card aligns to couple to the printed circuit board. The card also includes a first detent formed in either the first edge or the second edge. The first detent releaseably interacts with the guide tab formed in the opposing channels such that the guide tab contacts the first detent when the card is placed in an intermediate position.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates in general to the field of computers, and moreparticularly to a daughter card service position.

BACKGROUND

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individualsand businesses seek additional ways to process and store information.One option available to users is information handling systems. Aninformation handling system generally processes, compiles, stores,and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or otherpurposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of theinformation. Because technology and information handling needs andrequirements vary between different users or applications, informationhandling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled,how the information is handled, how much information is processed,stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the informationmay be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in informationhandling systems allow for information handling systems to be general orconfigured for a specific user or specific use, such as financialtransaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage,or global communications. In addition, information handling systems mayinclude a variety of hardware and software components that may beconfigured to process, store, and communicate information and mayinclude one or more computer systems, data storage systems, andnetworking systems.

Information handling systems typically require maintenance andservicing. For example, a system administrator may desire to replace amotherboard on the information handling system due to a system upgradeor a faulty component. Current designs of information handling systems,however, require the administrator to remove several wires and cables.As such, manufacturers strive to make improvements to informationhandling systems. One improvement includes a modular design that reducesor eliminates the internal wires or cables within the informationhandling system such as a modular based computer system.

The modular based computer system uses modular components, such asdaughter cards, that couple directly to each other via connectors.Typically, the daughter cards are placed along guide tracks, which allowthe connector on the daughter cards to align with another component toconnect and disconnect the daughter cards. For example, a modular basedcomputer system may include a motherboard that has several slots. Eachslot is able to receive a connector from a daughter card by moving thedaughter card along a guide track to connect to the motherboard. Byusing modular components with connectors, the information handlingsystem may reduce the amount of internal wiring within the system.

In most modular based computer systems, a system administrator removesall the daughter cards connected to the motherboard in order to performmaintenance on the information handling system. Typically, the cards arelifted out of the system and set aside to allow the motherboard to beremoved without the danger of the cards moving back into a connectedposition with the motherboard. If care is not taken with the removeddaughter cards, the daughter cards may be subject to damage or loss. Forexample, a daughter card may accidentally fall from a counter top andbecome damaged.

In addition to damage to the daughter card from outside of theinformation handling system, the daughter cards may be subject tofurther damage due to electrical shock from inadequate electricalgrounding. Because each card is built as a modular component, each cardmay develop static electricity. In some instances, the staticelectricity may affect the operation of the card due to impropergrounding.

SUMMARY

Thus, a need has arisen for a daughter card with a service position.

A further need has arisen for a daughter card to include a groundingdevice while connected to a motherboard.

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, thedisadvantages and problems associated with a daughter card have beensubstantially reduced or eliminated. In some embodiments of the presentinvention an information handling system includes a chassis and aprinted circuit board placed in the chassis. The chassis includes aguide slot formed in the chassis. The guide slot includes at least twoopposing channels aligned adjacent the printed circuit board and a guidetab formed in one of the opposing channels. A card electrically couplesto the printed circuit board when placed in an attached position. Thecard includes a first edge and a second edge that slides between theopposing channels of the guide slot such that the card aligns to coupleto the printed circuit board. The card also includes a first detentformed in either the first edge or the second edge. The first detentreleaseably interacts with the guide tab formed in the opposing channelssuch that the guide tab contacts the first detent when the card isplaced in an intermediate position.

In other embodiments, a card for coupling to a printed circuit boardincludes a first edge and a second edge forming opposite outerboundaries of the card, a connector, and a detent. The first edge andthe second edge interact with a guide slot such that the card slides inthe guide slot along the first edge and the second edge. The connectormay be formed on a third edge of the card to communicatively couple thecard to the printed circuit board when the card is placed in an attachedposition. The detent is formed along either the first edge or the secondedge to engage with the guide slot to support the card in anintermediate position.

In further embodiments, a method of removing a printed circuit boardfrom a computer system includes moving a card from an attached positionto an intermediate position by sliding the card along a guide slot inthe computer system such that a connector on the card uncouples from theprinted circuit board. The method automatically causes a guide tab tointeract with a detent formed along an edge of the card when the cardreaches the intermediate position such that the card is maintained apartfrom the printed circuit board. The method allows for removal of theprinted circuit board from the computer system.

The present disclosure contains a number of important technicaladvantages. One technical advantage is providing a system or method thatmaintains a daughter card in an intermediate position or a serviceposition. When the card is moved from an attached position to anintermediate position, a detent on the card interacts with a guide tabon the guide slots to maintain the card at the intermediate position. Insome embodiments, the guide tab is designed to extend into the detent toprevent the card from sliding along the guide slots. The intermediateposition allows for the printed circuit board such as a motherboard tobe removed from the computer system.

Another technical advantage is providing an electrical ground for thecard while attached to the printed circuit board. Providing a groundingpad on the card allows for the guide tab to contact the grounding padwhen the card is placed in the attached position. In some embodiments,the guide tab may be electrically coupled to the chassis of the computersystem. Thus, when the card is placed in the attached position, theguide tab may contact the grounding pad to provide a ground for thecard.

All, some, or none of these technical advantages may be present invarious embodiments of the present invention. Other technical advantageswill be apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures,descriptions, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the embodiments of the presentdisclosure and advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features, andwherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a portion of a computer systemhaving modular computer components according an example embodiment ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a daughter card inserted intoguide slots according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates a front perspective view of guide slot showing aguide tab according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates a rear perspective view of guide slot including aguide tab according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a rear view of a daughter card insertedbetween guide slots in an attached position according to an exampleembodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate a rear view of a daughter card insertedbetween guide slots at a service position according to an exampleembodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages arebest understood by reference to FIGS. 1 through 6B, where like numbersare used to indicate like and corresponding parts.

For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system mayinclude any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operableto compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate,switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, orutilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business,scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an informationhandling system may be a personal computer, a network storage device, orany other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance,functionality, and price. The information handling system may includerandom access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as acentral processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic,ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components ofthe information handling system may include one or more disk drives, oneor more network ports for communicating with external devices, as wellas various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse,and a video display. The information handling system may also includeone or more buses operable to transmit communications between thevarious hardware components.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a portion of computer system 10having modular computer components. Computer system 10 may be a type ofinformation handling system including a rack mounted computer systemsuch as a server. Typically, computer system 10 includes motherboard 14that has modular components such as daughter card 20 connected tomotherboard 14 via connectors 22 (as shown below in more detail).Computer system 10 may include guide slots 16 that may form a part ofcomputer system 10 or may be coupled to chassis 12.

Chassis 12 may include the structural frame of computer system 10.However, in some instances, chassis 12 may further include the housingor case of computer system 10. In some embodiments, chassis 12 providesan electrical ground for computer system 10.

Motherboard 14 may be a printed circuit board with receiving slot 22 a(shown below in more detail) that mate with connector 22 on daughtercards 20. Computer system 10 uses guide slot 16 to align daughter card20 to motherboard 14. Motherboard 14 may also include handle 15 thatallows a user to remove motherboard 14 from computer system 10. In someembodiments, daughter cards 20 are lifted out of receiving slot 22 a toallow motherboard 14 to be removed from computer system 10.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of daughter card 20 inserted intoguide slots 16. Daughter card 20 may connect at a receiving slot onmotherboard 14 to allow computer system 10 to access daughter card 20via connector 22.

Typically, daughter cards 20 are computer boards that may includecomputer components. Examples of computer components include a networkconnection, a video component, a input/output component such as agraphics controller, memory 24 such as RAM, a co-processor, a powersupply, storage media (e.g., hard disk drives), media drives includingan optical drive or any other computer component suitable for placementon daughter card 20. In one example embodiment, daughter card 20includes a memory riser card having memory 24 that connects tomotherboard 14 to increase the amount of available computer memory forcomputer system 10.

Computer system 10 may access daughter card 20 via connector 22.Connector 22 is formed and sized to mate with a receiving slot onmotherboard 14. Connector 22 includes a plurality of signal contactsthat are used to mate with receiving slot 22 a. Typically, connector 22is formed along connector edge 27 of daughter card 20 such thatconnector edge 27 is placed next to motherboard to allow daughter card20 to connect with motherboard 14. In certain embodiments, connector 22may connect with a receiving slot on motherboard 14 if daughter card 20is placed in guide slot 16 at the proper orientation to motherboard 14.

Guide slots 16 align daughter card 20 to a proper orientation forattaching to motherboard 14 using connector 22. Typically, first edge 23and second edge 25 of daughter card 20 are set in opposing guide slots16 to align daughter card 20 for placement onto motherboard 14.

Daughter card 20 may include latch 18 to prevent movement of daughtercard 20 along guide slots 16. When daughter card 20 has been insertedinto guide slot 16 such that a connection to motherboard 14 is made viaconnector 22, latch 18 may be moved to a locked position to engage guideslot 16 to hold daughter card 20 connected to motherboard 14. In someinstances, latch 18 may be used to provide an additional force to holddaughter card 20 against motherboard 14.

FIG. 3 illustrates a front perspective view of guide slot 16 showingguide tab 30. Guide slot 16 may be formed as a part of chassis 12.Alternatively, guide slot 16 may be formed as a separate component andconnected to chassis 12 through screw hole 31. In some embodiments,guide slot 16 is formed from a U-shaped channel that receives first edge23 of daughter card 20.

Typically, first edge 23 of daughter card 20 enters guide slot 16 atguide opening 35. Guide opening 35 may be larger than channel 34 toallow a user to properly set daughter card 20 in guide slot 16. As theuser inserts daughter card 20 into channel 34 of guide slot 16, daughtercard 20 may encounter guide tab 30.

Guide tab 30 may be coupled to guide slot 16 to interact with firstdetent 28 (shown below in more detail) on daughter card 20. Guide tab 30may be formed from a flexible material such as metal or any othersuitable material operable to deflect from an original position andapply pressure against daughter card 20. In one example embodiment,guide tab 30 is a stainless steel leaf spring able to apply pressure infirst detent 28 to support daughter card 20 in an intermediate position.

In certain embodiments, guide tab 30 is forced behind channel 34 toallow daughter card 20 to move to along guide slot 16. As first detent28 passes over guide tab 30, guide tab 30 may extend into first detent28 to maintain daughter card 20 in a releaseable intermediate position,also known as a service position.

FIG. 4 illustrates a rear perspective view of guide slot 16 includingguide tab 30. Guide slot 16 may include mounting surface 38, which maybe used to connect guide slot 16 to chassis 12 via screws 31 a placed inscrew holes 31 to properly align daughter card 20 to motherboard 14. Insome embodiments, mounting surface 38 aligns guide slot 16 substantiallyperpendicular to motherboard 14 to properly align daughter card 20 toconnect with motherboard 14.

Guide slot 16 may be formed from a rigid material such as plastic thatis able to guide daughter card 20 for connecting with motherboard 14.While guide tab 30 may be formed as a part of guide slot 16, guide tab30 is typically constructed as a separate component and attached toguide slot 16 via tab mount 39.

Because guide tab 30 may be mounted at tab mount 39, guide tab 30 maydeflect and move in relation to tab mount 39, which may allow daughtercard 20 to move along guide slot 16. For example, guide tab 30 maydeflect back away from daughter card 20 as daughter card 20 is insertedin guide slot 16. Thus, as guide tab 30 moves along the edge of daughtercard 20 and encounters first detent 28, guide tab 30 may return to anundeflected position and extend into first detent 28.

In some embodiments, guide tab 30 is constructed from an electricallyconducting material to provide a ground between chassis 12 and daughtercard 20. In these instances, guide slot 16 is typically constructed froma non-conducting material, which may be used to electrically insulateguide tab 30. For example, guide tab 30 may include contact area 30 athat may be placed around tab mount 39 to allow guide tab 30 to form aground with chassis 12.

Because guide tab 30 may be used to ground daughter card 20 to chassis12, guide tab 30 may contact ground pad 32 (shown below in more detail)on daughter card 20 when placed in an attached position. For example,when daughter card 20 is attached to motherboard 14, guide tab 30 may beplaced in second detent 26 (as shown below in more detail) on daughtercard 20 that includes a ground pad 32. Thus, the ground circuit would bedisconnected if daughter card 20 is moved from the attached position.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a rear view of daughter card 20 insertedbetween guide slots 16 in an attached position. Daughter card 20 mayinclude connector 22 formed on connector edge 27. First edge 23 andsecond edge 25 may be inserted into guide slots 16, which may be used toform opposing channels to direct daughter card 20 into proper alignmentfor connecting with motherboard 14.

First detent 28 may be formed along either of first edge 23 or secondedge 25 to interact with guide tab 30. While first detent 28 may beplaced at any location along first edge 23 of daughter card 20, firstdetent 28 is placed to allow for clearance to remove motherboard 14 fromcomputer system 10 without interference from daughter card 20. In oneexample embodiment, first detent 28 may be formed along both first edge23 and second edge 25.

In the attached position, connector 22 on daughter card 20 may be seatedonto receiving slot 22 a on motherboard 14 to provide communicationsbetween computer system 10 and daughter card 20. Latch 18 on daughtercard 20 may be placed in a closed position to engage a part of guideslot 16 to prevent removal of daughter card 20.

Referring to FIG. 5B, guide tab 30 is placed in a second detent 26 ondaughter card 20 to interact with ground pad 32. In certain embodiments,guide tab 30 may be used to ground daughter card 20 in the attachedposition. In one example embodiment, second detent 26 includes anL-shaped bracket to form ground pad 32. The bracket is connected toground for daughter card 20, which permits contacts with guide tab 30 inthe attached position.

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate a rear view of daughter card 20 insertedbetween guide slots 16 at a service position. Moving daughter card 20 toa service position, or intermediate position, causes connector 22 todisconnect from motherboard 14. At the service position, daughter card20 remains coupled to chassis 12 of computer system 10 but permitsmotherboard 14 to be removed from computer system 10.

Typically, a system user moves daughter card 20 from the attachedposition, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, to a service position beforeremoving motherboard 14. In one instance, daughter card 20 is attachedto motherboard 14 at a substantially perpendicular orientation. The usermay lift daughter card 20 from the attached position to disconnectconnector 22 from motherboard 14. In order to disconnect daughter card20 from motherboard, guide tab 30 may be deflected to a position thatallows daughter card 20 to move along first edge 23. When guide tab 30moves over first detent 28, guide tab 30 extends into first detent 28 toprovide lateral support for daughter card 20 to prevent daughter card 20from moving along guide slot 16.

The lateral support imparted by guide tab 30 may include a spring forceof the material extending into first detent 28. In another embodiment, africtional force between guide tab may create the lateral support 30 andfirst detent 28. The frictional force may be varied depending upon thecoefficient of friction, the geometry of guide tab 30 and the shape offirst detent 28. In one example embodiment, first detent 28 includes arounded edge to allow a user to easily remove guide tab 30 away from aservice position.

Although the present disclosure has been described with respect to aspecific embodiment, various changes and modifications will be readilyapparent to one skilled in the art. The present disclosure is notlimited to the illustrated embodiment, but encompasses such changes andmodifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

1-14. (Canceled)
 15. A method of removing a motherboard from a computersystem, the method comprising: moving a daughter card from an attachedposition to an intermediate position by sliding the daughter card alonga guide slot in the computer system such that a connector on thedaughter card uncouples from a motherboard, wherein the intermediateposition is located between the attached position and before thedaughter card is removed from the guide slot; automatically causing aguide tab to interact with a detent formed along an edge of the daughtercard when the daughter card reaches the intermediate position such thatthe daughter card is maintained apart from the motherboard; and removingthe motherboard from the computer system.
 16. The method of claim 15further comprising, in response to moving the daughter card to theintermediate position, automatically contacting a contact switchdisposed on the daughter card, the contact switch operable to activatean electrical circuit.
 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the electricalcircuit comprises an interlock circuit operable to prevent the removalof the motherboard until activated by the contact switch.
 18. A methodof manufacturing a card including a service position, the methodcomprising: forming a card including an edge and a connector, the cardoperable to move in a guide slot via the edge and couple to a printedcircuit board via the connector; and forming a detent along the edge ofthe card such that the detent interacts with the guide slot toreleaseably hold the card in an intermediate position, wherein theintermediate position is located between an attached position and beforethe daughter card is removed from the guide slot.
 19. The method ofclaim 18 further comprising designing the detent to support the weightof the card in the guide slots.
 20. The method of claim 18 furthercomprising disposing a grounding pad on the card such that the groundingpad provides electrical grounding for the card to the chassis.
 21. Themethod of claim 15, wherein moving the daughter card further comprisesdetaching a connector on the daughter from a receiving slot on themotherboard.
 22. The method of claim 15, wherein the intermediateposition further comprises maintaining the daughter card in a serviceposition.
 23. The method of claim 12, wherein the service positionfurther comprises orientating the daughter card at a substantiallyperpendicular orientation to the motherboard.
 24. The method of claim15, wherein moving the daughter card further comprises lifting thedaughter card from the attached position to disconnect the card from themotherboard.
 25. A method of accessing a printed circuit board in acomputer system, comprising; sliding a card along a guide slot in thecomputer system, the card operable to move from an attached position toan intermediate position located between the attached position andbefore the card is removed from the guide slot such that the carddetached from a printed circuit board; based on the card moving to theintermediate position, automatically interacting a detent formed alongan edge of the card with a guide tab such that the card maintains apartfrom the printed circuit board; and accessing the printed circuit boardin the computer system.
 26. The method of claim 25, further comprisingremoving the printed circuit board from the computer system
 27. Themethod of claim 25, further comprising removing and replacing theprinted circuit board.
 28. The method of claim 25, wherein the cardmaintains apart from the printed circuit board further comprises movingthe card to a service position whereby the card permits access to theprinted circuit board but remains coupled to a chassis of the computersystem.
 29. The method of claim 25, wherein automatically causing theguide tab to interact with the detent further comprises extending aportion of the guide tab into the detent to provide lateral support forthe daughter card.
 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the lateralsupport further comprises imparting the lateral support using a springforce.
 31. The method of claim 29, wherein the lateral support furthercomprises creating a frictional force between the guide tab and thedetent.
 32. The method of claim 31, further comprising varying thefrictional force depending upon a coefficient of friction.
 33. Themethod of claim 31, further comprising varying the frictional forcedepending upon a geometry of the guide tab.
 34. The method of claim 31,further comprising varying the frictional force depending upon a shapeof the detent.